June 28, 2006	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 1, 1427

KARACHI, June 27: The Sindh chief minister’s office has now sought list of markets/shops from the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), which will not use the KESC supply and use their own generators after 9:00pm.

In case such markets, which are granted exemption beyond 9:00pm, use normal electricity supply and do not use self generated power, will be penalised/prosecuted under the relevant laws, a notice issued to the KCCI and other government related departments from the Chief Minister House said.

The KCCI has been asked to duly approve the list of shops/markets so that it could be submitted to the KESC and the Sindh government.

To review and discuss the decision and the possibility of its implementation, all the market associations’ office bearers and representatives will meet at the KCCI on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, shopkeepers in Arambagh Market said that hardly 10-15 per cent shops in leading markets of the city like Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Jama Cloth, Hyderi, Saddar, Water Pump, Meena Bazar Karimabad, etc have got generators. However, he said that only Gul Plaza was fully run on its own power generation system.

When asked as to why the KCCI and other trade bodies had not implemented the above decision taken on June 23, he said that the KCCI was reported to have received the letter in this regard from the chief minister’s secretary on Monday (June 26).

They also said that four days had gone but the Sindh government had not issued any notification yet regarding the extension in shop closure timing to 9:00pm from 8:00pm.

President KCCI, Haroon Farooqi in a statement on Tuesday said that the chamber and market associations had already assured the chief minister to voluntarily reduce the power consumption and to use 50 per cent lights during 8:00 to 9:00pm.

He added that the KCCI will nominate a committee in each market to keep a watch that no shopkeeper uses excessive power to light up the shop. Marriage Halls shall not use decoration lights before 9:00pm.

About the list of shopkeepers and markets, which have their own electricity generation sets, he said if the shopkeepers or market associations used the KESC supply after 9:00pm, they would face the penalty.

He blamed the KESC for misguiding the provincial government in taking the decision of pulling down shutters by 8:00pm. However, the chief minister was convinced in the last meeting by the traders that there was no let-up in load-shedding despite early closure of shops.

However, it is not clear whether the relaxation granted in shops’ closing hours is only for the leading shopping centres and markets or it also applies to the thousands of shops and small markets which continue to operate after midnight. Even the government had not taken any notice of this situation when the shop closure timing was fixed.

Meanwhile, market sources said that the shopkeepers and retailers had not reduced the power consumption by 50 per cent during 8:00 to 9:00pm as their shops keep glittering. Besides, 50 per cent saving in just one hour will hardly make any impact on conserving power as the KESC continues to resort to heavy load-shedding despite a saving of 70-90 MW prior to the June 23 decision.

A large number of shops and retail outlets, laden with illuminations, do not pay the bill as per actual consumption of power, thanks to the ‘deal’ with the KESC staff. Besides, a large number of shops out-rightly operate on the ‘Kunda’ system and thrive on a slow meter pace and again the KESC people are blamed for paving way for this kind of corruption.

Even on Sundays, when majority of shopping plazas, retail markets and offices remain closed –- residential consumers continue to witness hide and seek of power throughout the day, leading to some ugly power riots in the city recently. However, the KESC still appears least bothered about the consumers’ grievances in the present scorching heat as they are likely to face the KESC’s wrath till September this year. However, the KESC officials had been saying that the situation might come under control by next year.